RIP Beargrowlz, an ode to a legend of the game…
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Jun 23, 2018 8:34:44 GMT -5
Sawblade300, ukpatfan, and 4 more like this
Post by ezlee2 on Jun 23, 2018 8:34:44 GMT -5
An ode to a legend of the game…
by Rob and Nick
I’ve been playing this game since the original version came out. It was natural for me to join an MP league when they became introduced with FOF2k4. It was 2005 and the MP leagues were booming. I had joined my first league the NAFL and was a one league guy for the first 4 years of my playing MP. During that time I struggled to understand the game the way I do today. I was a loveable loser that traded all his picks because I sucked at drafting so bad. I can remember spending countless hours talking to Hammer (Nick) and Bill (the GM from the NAFL that uncovered static pairs) about the deeper nuances of the game. The lightbulb got a little bit brighter, but it was still dim. Then in 2008, I was invited by Nick to join the vNFL. Upon my arrival, I was blown away at the activity of the league, the friendliness of the GMs and their willingness to share information. The vNFL was a true community and it was all because of the culture that their commissioner established.
For those of you that knew Beargrowlz you would agree that he is one of the greatest guys in all of the FOF world. “Bear” as he was affectionately known was a damn good GM, but even a better person. He was an open book and was willing to share everything and anything he knew about the game to grow the competition of the league and the MP community. Bear went as far to share his gameplans openly on the forum along with an explanation of each so GMs could have a better understanding of the game. His article “Special Teams, the Beargrowlz Way” still sticks with me today as I continue to place an emphasis on that often overlooked aspect of the game. I became a better GM in the MP game because of him and the community he created. It was in the vNFL that I meet GMs such as bighouserulez (Wes) davehibb, UkPatfan, sawblade, and many more. These guys were all willing to help me become a better GM and I can honestly say that I am the MP player and commissioner that I am today as a result.
Unfortunately, Bear’s health became an issue and he was not able to maintain the incredible league and community that he had built. Slowly, the league dissolved, but his legacy lives on in many of us. In fact, when Nick and I set out to create the RZB we modeled the majority of the league after the old school V. From the rule structure to the set up of the forum we emulated it as much as possible. We also knew that we wanted to build a community made up of great people first and foremost. We knew that if we found good people we could do exactly what Bear and the others did for me and help them become better GMs. That is why we are planning to honor Bear from this point forward by naming the Blitz Bowl championship trophy in his namesake. From this point forward the trophy will now be known as the “Beargrowlz Trophy” to honor one of the greatest and most impactful contributors of the FOF MP community.
~Rob
Motivator. Leader. Peace Maker. I had played this game before I met Bear, for several years. I felt he showed me how a league should be run. That said, it still isn’t an easy thing to do. I don’t personally have the necessary qualities to do it. The patience, and ability to appeal to a wide range of people. I would most likely end up with a league of a dozen GMs like a lot of other commissioners do.
The vNFL was the first “major league”. I define that as a full, buzzing league. Double figure posts day after day. Some days 30 or 40 posts - quality material. I am convinced if not for Bears health the league would still be every bit as strong today. I very much doubt the RZB would exist if the vNFL was still alive. The leagues are so similar, Rob has created something very similar to what Bear did. I honestly think we would all still be playing together happily together in the vNFL under Bears leadership to this day.
As a player Bear was one of those absolutely elite players. One of those guys who enters a league and dominates, consistently. You can count on 1 hand the players in FOF who can do that. But as Rob alludes to, Bear was open and shared everything he knew. The way we now in turn, try to share everything we know.
Bear had a positive effect on Rob and I. It is only right that we honor this mans outstanding contributions.
~Nick
*The article above is an excerpt from the 2034 Facing The Blitz Season Preview
